RFK Jr. is the health revolution America needs

“A healthy person has a thousand wishes, a sick person just one."

As a physician and a U.S. senator, I have spent my career working to improve the health of Americans. Our health care system is failing when over 60 percent of Americans have a chronic disease and 20 percent of our children are on prescription drugs.

For decades, American health outcomes have declined as we continue to throw money at the problem. It's safe to say that what we are doing is not working. Our health care system has devolved into "sick care" — treating the disease as opposed to preventing it.

Without radical changes to our approach, Americans' health will continue to deteriorate, Medicare will become insolvent sooner and insurance premiums will skyrocket. A stronger, healthier future is possible, but it will take bold leadership. We need someone to bring innovation and transformation to the heart of our health care system. I wholeheartedly believe President Trump's nominee to lead Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., is the person for the job.

After meeting with Kennedy last year, I knew he had the vision and courage to bring about the change that our health care system desperately needed. Kennedy is focused on ensuring all Americans have access to nutrient-dense whole foods, safe medicines and effective primary care along with addressing the soaring mental health crisis that our youth and young adults face.

As an OB-GYN, I have seen firsthand the transformative power of a healthy diet and exercise on long-term patient outcomes.

I don't agree with Kennedy on everything, but no one agrees with their colleagues 100 percent of the time. Even in my medical practice, doctors debated treatment decisions. That's how science works — through questioning, reviewing and challenging available scientific studies and utilizing some common sense that comes with years of experience from medical practice.

Kennedy's opponents focus on his vaccine skepticism, but let's not get distracted. He has made it clear he will not change vaccine policy. What he will do is ensure that every medical intervention, including vaccines, is studied rigorously, and results openly shared — something every doctor and parent should support. And when we don't know, we will say "we don't know."

Skeptics who choose to focus solely on vaccines miss the bigger issue. Chronic disease is the No. 1 health crisis in America today. We have spent decades treating disease instead of preventing it. Kennedy's "Make America Healthy Again" plan will shift our approach to focus on common-sense nutrition and reducing exposure to harmful toxins in our food, water and air.

Kennedy and I agree that we should always scrutinize medical interventions to ensure they are necessary, safe and effective. This means holding the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention accountable for studying the risks, benefits, efficacy and side effects of vaccines — just as we do for all other drugs. Parents and doctors should have clear, unbiased data to make informed decisions together.

Science is not as "settled" as we often assume. History is full of medical consensus that was later proven completely wrong. For example, smoking was once advertised as healthy and even promoted by doctors. Low-fat diets were pushed for heart health, even as the real culprits were ignored. Stomach ulcers were blamed on stress until we discovered they were often caused by bacteria. And the USDA Food Pyramid led to a surge in obesity and diabetes by promoting excessive carbohydrates.

The list goes on. If we never questioned settled science, we'd still be prescribing bed rest for back pain.

Kennedy understands that, to prevent disease, we must challenge old assumptions. He will shift HHS' focus from managing illness to promoting health. He has launched a health revolution. An army of young, intelligent, well informed Americans are taking their health into their own hands and leading the change they want to see.

Just as Trump was elected because Americans wanted a disruptor, I believe Kennedy is the disruptor our health care system needs. He will turn NIH, CDC, Medicare and Medicaid away from their disease-treatment mindset and toward prevention. This is not complicated. It's common sense.

It's time to stop debating and start making America healthy again. We can change the tide by tackling chronic disease at its roots. Making America healthy again means building a healthier future for ourselves, our children and generations to come. If we are serious about making America healthy again, we need bold leadership willing to challenge the status quo. I believe Kennedy is that leader.

Roger Marshall, M.D., is the junior senator from Kansas. He is an OB/GYN and a member of the GOP Doctors Caucus.

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